A Monthly Newsletter THE Libertarian Forum Joseph R. Peden, Publisher Murray N. Rothbard, Editor VOLUME IX NO. 9 SEPTEMBER,1876 US-ISSNOM~-4517 Education By Bribes And Coercion by Auberon Herbert Most libertarians are aware of the existence of a circle of American confined to the criticisms of various "reformers". But the basic issue - individualist anarchists who contributed to the famous newspaper whether the State has any right at all to be involved in schooling has Liberty, edited by Benjamin Tucker, in the late 19th century. Readers of scarcely been discussed. Only recently, with the publication of the James Martin's Men Against The State (Ralph Myles Publishers, PO Box stimulating polemic by Ivan Illich, Deschooling Society, has the general 1533, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80901 $2.50) are familiar with Josiah public turned its attention to the question of the very legitimacy of the Warren, Ezra Heywood, Lysander Spooner, Victor Yarros, and the many school as an institution. But at least as important is the question of other brilliant contributors to the philosophy of anarchism in its native disestablishment of the schools, the abolition of state involvement in American individualist form. Some of their writings have in recent years education. To our knowledge, no organization, no libertarians, have been republished, a few by Libertarian Forum. But few of us are aware of undertaken the radical task of seeking the absolute separation of School a circle of equally brilliant libertarians - they preferred to be called and State. Yet sooner or later this immense work must be begun. The individualists or voluntarists rather than anarchists, a term 'they libertarians of the 18th century disestablished the Church from the State; associated rightly in its European context, with socialism and violence. the libertarians of the 19th century smashed the State enforced These virtually unknown philosophers lived in late Victorian England, enslavement of man by man; will the libertarians of the 20th century were largely disciples of Mill and Spencer, but were msn who were liberate education from the tyranny and perversion of the State? capable of taking their teachers' ideas to their logcal conciusion the - As a contribution to the dialogue that must precede action, we abolition of the coercive State. Perhaps the most important of the English commend to you the reading of Auberon Herbert's essay, Education By voluntarists was Auberon Herbert (1838-1906) whose publication, The Bribes And Coercion. Free Life (1890-1901) fulfilled the same function among the English liber- (J. R. P.) tarians as Liberty did among their American colleagues. Auberon Herbert was the scion of two of the most aristocratic families THE PARTY OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY of England. His father was the Duke of Carnarvon, his mother the sister An appeal to the English people against State education; against the of the Duke of Norfolk, his wife the daughter of an earl. As a young man driving of children to school by compulsion; against the persecution of he began his career in the army, and in the 1860's he travelled to Denmark parents; against officialdom in all its forms; against over-pressure, and the United States to observe local wars, and witnessed the collapse of hurry and worry; against waste and extravagance; against a compulsory France at Sedan in 1870 and the violent days of the Commune in Paris. tax and a compulsory rate; against infallible wisdom and authority Originally entering politics as a conservative, he was elected to enthroned either at Whitehall or Victoria Embankment, or in any other Parliament in 1870 as a Liberal, where his first speech was, part of town or province; and a plea for true voluntary work, apart from characteristically against the bill establishing the English system of State funds and State direction, undertaken by the people in their own state education. By 1872 Herbert caused a commotion in the House by groups, according to their own wants and their own ideas, under their own proclaiming himself a republican, and he retired from office in 1874. control and supported by their own efforts and their own contributions. Herbert had studied at Oxford after his military service, and taught history and jurisprudence for four years at St. John's College, Oxford. His Education By Bribes And Coercion intellectual curiosity caused him to become an ardent disciple and It is time that the English people-especially that part of it that lives in lifelong friend of Herbert Spencer and a correspondent of J. S. Mill. By London-shook themselves free from certain time-old superstitions and the 1880's Herbert had come to believe that the principle of voluntarism saw things as they really are. What the State touches, that it destroys. was the only just basis of society. His own intellectual conversion was Since the State has laid hands on education, it is fast becoming a curse probably recorded in a fictionalized Socratic dialogue entitled: A instead of a blessing to them; an instrument of torture instead of a means Politician In Trouble About His Soul. This was serialized in the liberal of happiness and strength. Fortnightly Review, (1883-1884) and it was subsequen'tly published by Benjamin Tucker in Liberty (1884, #48-50) in a revised version as A State education, State religion and State conscription are three children Politician In Sight Of Haven. To organize the propagation of his views he of the same evil family. They are three forms of bondage which nations in announced the formation of the Party of Individual Liberty and issued their worship of force have inflicted on themselves. five pamphlets called the Anti-Force Papers to present his opinions on Let us look at the nature of one of these State-made things. See what various subjects. The fifth Anti-Force Paper was an appeal to the English education has grown into under the hands of a department. Two or three people to liberate themselves from the bondage of State directed gentlemen sit itWhitehall and courageously undertake to think for a education. It is our great pleasure to share this incisive work with our whole nation. From their central office thev make rules and remlations. readers in this issue of Libertarian Forum. and spin codes like a new kind of industrious worm, spinning taie instead For more than a century, the.public education question has been largely (Continued On Page 2) 1 1 Page 2 The Libertarian Forum September, 1976 (Continued From Page 1) 5. Because any universal system, on account of all the prizes of Education - influence, reputation and power that are attached to it, must always of silk. Under this system the whole nation is pressed into whatever cause the most desperate political struggle as to who shall obtain the mould happens to suit the fancies of these gentlemen; and in direction of it. It results in the formation of parties organized against consequence, protected by the sleepy approval of Parliament, they have each other, and in all the strategy, personal ambition, and unscrupulous ousted the parents from all real control over the education of their promising, which are the persistent features of party organizations. children, and have taken possession of it into their own hands. 6. Because every universal system forces intolerance upon us all, But the official gentlemen, spinning tape, are not the only people to making each man struggle to suppress forcibly the beliefs of his blame. The parents themselves are equally to blame. Listening to the bad neighbour in his necessary effort to achieve success for his own. advice of the politicians they have let themselves be ousted. The 7. Because what we call the religious question can never be separated politicians have said "We will make you a system, with buildings, offices, from the higher subjects of education. A universal system either leads to training-colleges, and school-houses, with managers, lawyers, surveyors a false truce between Catholic, Protestant, Theist, Agnostic, and contractors, with superintendents and visitors, with every kind of Atheist,-where we want active fighting and unfettered effort,--or to the official, big and little. There shall be taxes, there shall be rates, to pay for suppression of some sects by other sects. Both denominational teaching what we give you; and if you do not like paying any school-pence for your and secular teaching are, if supported by State-force, equally unjust. That children, you shall not pay them. You shall dip your hands into your education should do its real work, the teacher must be free, whether he is richer neighbor's pocket for what you want; and we will tell your richer Catholic, Protestant, Theist, Agnostic or Atheist. Otherwise he is but a neighbor that to ask you to pay your own school-pence is an "abominable" one-armed and one-legged man, utterly unable to exert his full thing, a "cruel" thing, an "unjust" thing. There is only one slight service influence-a mere creature of ignoble compromise. in return that we need ask at your hands. Accept the system, as it is 8. Because all universal systems lead to bureaucratic rule. Given an planner: and arranged for you. Question nothing; doubt nothing; trouble universal system of education, the central department must obtain the not your own minds. Trust wholly to a paternal department in the first management. How can you decide the real education question at the place; and to those of us who can get elected by your votes in the second hustings? Fancy one party advocating some special way of teaching place. Forget that your children belong to you and not to us, and banish all arithmetic; another advocating some method of needlework; a third vain desires to keep any part of their control and management in your some special system of grammar, and yet these and their like, are the own incompetent hands." It is ever in this way that the birth-rights of the real education questions.